Nigerian Newspapers
Nigerians need to sit down and talk –Oritsejafor
Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, founder of the Word of Life Bible Church in Warri, Delta State, and president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, spoke with FRIDAY OLOKOR on the state of the nation and other issues
What is your feeling about the presidential proclamation of a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, which were almost being taken over by Boko Haram terrorists?
I think this is probably one of the best moves President Goodluck Jonathan has ever made. He has made a move in a very proper and right direction to proclaim the state of emergency because the situation was getting worse before our eyes. It is either people who ought to know didn’t know or they knew and were pretending that they did not know. Two weeks before the proclamation of emergency, the situation had gone out of hand in Borno State, where I think there are about 27 local governments. Almost 24 of the councils were under the control of Boko Haram. As a journalist, you can go and carry out your independent investigation. In fact, in some local governments, Boko Haram members brought down the Nigerian flag, set them ablaze and raised their own flag. What they were gradually going to do was to proclaim an Islamic Republic just like what they did in northern Mali; that was where they were heading to. But thank God that Mr. President made the right move at the right time. I think the governor of that state was wise when he went to the President to inform him of certain things.
But a lot of critics have argued that the President goofed by refusing to replicate the example laid by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, who in his time allowed the sitting governors of Ekiti and Plateau states and other democratic structures to step aside for the military to take over.
Well, for me, what we see happening right now shows that the President’s decision was a right one because the sitting governors have not in any way hampered the movement of the military. The military men are doing what they are supposed to do. And by the way, because of how intense the situation was, nobody is moving about freely in those states right now because there is a curfew all over the place. Even the government is not functioning the way it would have functioned. Back to the constitution, does the law clearly state that when you declare a state of emergency, all political structures must be removed? Does it really say that? I don’t think so. My belief is that what the President has done is to continue to respect the political structures while at the same time getting their cooperation to make sure they do not disturb the military from achieving their mission. What we are looking for are results. If we get the results, we will be happy. From what we have observed and seen, we are getting the results.
A lot of people see the Boko Haram issue as a blend of religion and politics. What is your opinion?
Let me say it again that the issue of Boko Haram is fundamentally and basically religious. It is a jihadist and fundamentalist organisation, formed to propagate and promote a particular religion. Now, it has been like that from the beginning. We all know that there were politicians who said that if Jonathan won the 2011 presidential election, they would make Nigeria ungovernable. In my opinion, what they did was to find ways to give support to Boko Haram. In their calculation, if they give them the support, then obviously as Boko Haram is killing and destroying, it makes Nigeria ungovernable. We are seeing it happening but that does not make the Boko Haram menace a political issue. We have listened to the leader of Boko Haram again and again. He has never minced words and there is no ambiguity in all he has been saying. He has always been clear that their aim is to establish an Islamic state. So, what they actually want to do is what they did in northern Mali. That is the purpose and you see, for terrorists, any kind of support or assistance they can get from anywhere, they will gladly welcome it and use it to establish their purpose as long as it is coming from the Muslim community. It is not that there are no good Muslims. Nigeria has very good and wonderful men and women who are good Muslims and who believe in the unity of this country. Muslims have also been killed and I have said it many times that the primary target of Boko Haram is to kill government agents, including security agents, destroy schools because they believe it is a sin to go to school and churches because churches to them are also tied to western ideology. These are the people that they are primarily against.
What is your advice for Christians?
My advice for Christians is that they should believe in Jesus Christ. But believing in Christ does not exempt us from troubles; it does not necessarily separate us from hardships and persecution. So, what we are saying now is in the Bible. I will say to anyone who is a child of God and a Christian: Don’t give up your faith for any reason; hold on to what you believe in. This will not last forever. Recently, the Secretary of CAN in Borno State (Rev. Faye Musa Pama), was killed in his own house before his own daughter who pleaded for his life. They refused to spare him. It is unbelievable but I said to Christians: that man of God is a martyr, a hero and heaven has received him. My prayer is that God will not allow more to go like that. I believe that there are two situations we must look at now critically in this country. The first one is what we call Fulani herdsmen who are operating freely across this nation today. No one is seriously looking at this situation. It is building; Fulani herdsmen are another version of Boko Haram. We need to take this matter seriously and start doing something about it. When I was growing up, the best you can see Fulani herdsmen with is a dagger and their sticks. But today, they carry AK-47 rifles. Who taught them how to use AK-47? In fact, who bought AK-47 for them? These are questions begging for answers. Let me take you further. People in London, people across Europe, even in Indonesia, the largest Muslim nation in the world, don’t they eat cows? Do we see cows on the streets of London? Do we see people leading cows? For God’s sake, this is the 21st Century. We cannot continue like this. Government at every level, with a little help from the Federal Government, should go to where they came from and establish modern ranches. It is very possible, it can be done and they can be trained. The thing has to be handled quickly because if it is not, I can tell you that the atrocities of the Fulani herdsmen will be more potent than those of Boko Haram. I say this with all seriousness without anything against any tribe. Let me also say that I believe Nigeria has reached a point where we must sit down and discuss. Call it anything, all the tribes that make up Nigeria. We must sit together and discuss.
Do we call it a Sovereign National Conference?
Those are big words; I said let us meet and discuss. Sometimes you can use words that aggravate things and offend the people. But I’m not interested in words, I’m interested in results. I just want something to happen, we must talk. I plead with Mr. President, I plead with all those in the National Assembly to please consider this. This one we are saying goes beyond politics.
You have received commendation for being the best president ever produced by CAN. After Oritsejafor, what type of successor would you gladly welcome?
God has arranged it for me to be the leader of His church at this time; He has already planned for the person who will take over from me. I believe there are people who will do better than me. That has been my prayer and it will happen because the church has actively participated in the establishment and development of this nation called Nigeria.
Ahead of the 2015 general elections, what type of President and leader would you wish for Nigeria?
I believe Nigeria needs a leader first and foremost, who believes in God because any man who does not fear God will not care about man. That is part of the problems of this nation. I believe Nigeria needs a leader who will not only fear God but will, out of the fear of God, consider the ordinary citizens of this nation; a leader who will realise that he is a servant while the people are actually the masters; a leader who will truly fight this thing called corruption and attack it with everything that he has. But a leader who is strong and at the same time compassionate is also necessary in Nigeria. We need a leader that can hold everybody together and do away with all forms of tribalism.
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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